THREAD: The cities that face a growing risk of large epidemics are going to be pressed as many federal resources have been forward deployed to New York, and the federal ability to backstop multiple cities is going to be limited. There are things every city should be doing now.
Low census hospitals are still doing elective cases, and consuming supplies. That must end. States must focus resources on urban hospitals and take reasonable steps to reduce activity in community; move available supplies and capacity freed up at community level to urban setting
Germ theory will prevail. The virus will be a national epidemic. While we hope some communities will be spared, we should expect urban centers to all be engulfed. Because the virus hasn't reached every city yet; every urban center should prepare as if it will. Many still aren't.
Hope for best. Prepare for worst. That should be policy in every community. There are many nursing homes across country that have multiple infections. We'll see a spike in cases, and tragically deaths, over next few weeks. Some communities have a head start. They must use it.
April will be hard everywhere. We'll have multiple epicenters of spread that severely strain our system. But we have best providers in world, and resilient system. Many cities had a had start to prepare and implement mitigation. Use it. Note to Florida, Texas, Louisiana, others.
We have tough month to contend with as epidemic runs its course. Goal everywhere should be to mitigate spread, contain where we can, support providers, preserve life, protect vulnerable financially, medically. State leaders need to sacrifice what they must to achieve these goals.
Use what time you have wisely to prepare. Some states and cities are fortunate with head start. We'll get through this together as the virus runs its course and can see through to a summer where we turn the corner. We'll develop the tools to make sure this never happens again.🇺🇸
